Ousted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media sayWILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Donovan Newby had 18 points in UNC Wilmington's 78-69 victory over Marshall on Saturday. Newby shot 5 for 10 (0 for 3 from 3-point range) and 8 of 11 from the free-throw line for the Seahawks (7-2). Sean Moore scored 14 points while shooting 6 for 11, including 2 for 3 from beyond the arc and added 16 rebounds. Khamari McGriff shot 5 of 6 from the field and 3 for 3 from the line to finish with 13 points, while adding six rebounds. The Thundering Herd (5-4) were led in scoring by Mikal Dawson, who finished with 12 points and two steals. Marshall also got 10 points and nine rebounds from Nate Martin. Dezayne Mingo also had 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists. UNC Wilmington took the lead with 12:17 to go in the first half and did not give it up. The score was 44-34 at halftime, with Moore racking up 12 points. UNC Wilmington was outscored by Marshall in the second half by one point, with Newby scoring a team-high 12 points after halftime. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar ."Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.

Embiid scores 31 in triumphant NBA return for 76ers2025 NFL Draft: Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan declares, 6-foot-5 Wildcats star a likely top-10 pickThe British Columbia government is increasing tax incentives for both local and international film and TV projects in an effort to attract more major productions to the province. Premier David Eby said the tax credit for international projects made in B.C. will jump from 28 to 36 per cent, and an incentive for Canadian-content productions will increase from 35 to 36 per cent. There’s also a special bonus to attract blockbuster productions with budgets of $200 million. Speaking on Thursday at the Martini Town studio, a New-York-themed backlot in Langley, B.C., Eby said tax incentives are the province’s “competitive advantage” and increasing them will help the industry that has been battered by the pandemic, labour disruptions and changes to industry practices. “This is a sector that’s taken some hits. The decision by major studios to ... reduce some of their budgets on production, the impact of labour disruptions, other jurisdictions competing with British Columbia for these productions with significant subsidies for the industry, means that we need to respond,” Eby said, the Manhattan street scene behind him decorated for Christmas. “We need to make sure that we continue to be competitive.” Government numbers show the film industry generated $2.7 billion in GDP in 2022 — roughly one per cent of provincial GDP — and $2 billion in 2023, a year affected by strike action and a decrease in global production A government statement says the incentives begin with productions that have principal photography starting Jan. 1, 2025, and projects with costs of greater than $200 million in B.C. will receive a two per cent bonus. Gemma Martini, chair of industry organization Screen BC and CEO of Martini Film Studios, told the news conference that it has been a “tumultuous” year for film and television, which supports tens of thousands of jobs. “It is clear that British Columbia is a well respected and preferred global production partner, but we must be able to compete at the bottom line,” she said. “We expect, we know, our government’s announcement will put B.C. back in the game to earn our true ‘Hollywood north’ reputation.” Foreign film and TV work makes up an average of 80 per cent of total production spending in B.C., and the government says maintaining strong international relationships is critical for the industry to continue to thrive. The government says it also intends to restore regional and distant-location tax credits that were cut last year for companies with a brick-and-mortar presence outside of Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Whistler and Squamish. Eby first promised to increase the tax credits as part of his election campaign earlier this year. Just days after the new B.C. cabinet was announced in November, a delegation that included Finance Minister Brenda Bailey and Arts and Culture Minister Spencer Chandra Herbert travelled to California to pitch B.C.‘s film and TV industry. Chandra Herbert told the news conference that during the trip they met industry representatives who are now looking at B.C. “in a bigger way” because of the new incentives. He said the additional two per cent bonus for productions over $200 million is a way to encourage larger productions to come and stay in B.C. “This is a way of making sure that the workers in this industry, and the companies, know that we’re here for them for the long term. You can make these investments long term. You can grow the industry today, tomorrow and into the years ahead,” he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2024.

Punjab, during a pre-budget meeting with Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Jaisalmer, raised a demand for central assistance to strengthen its police infrastructure and security efforts in border districts, with a grant of ₹ 1,000 crore. Besides this, the state also sought industrial incentives similar to those provided to Jammu & Kashmir and neighbouring hill states to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Revealing this in a press release issued here on Sunday, state finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the state has strongly raised the demand to restore NABARD’s Short-Term Seasonal Agricultural Operations (ST-SAO) limit to ₹ 3,041 crore, from the reduced limit of ₹ 1,100 crore for FY 2024-25. “This is vital to prevent farmers from turning to moneylenders, aligning with the ‘Sahakar se Samriddhi’ principle, Cheema said adding that several states raised this issue and it was discussed at length. For road connectivity under PM Gati Shakti in Rajpura, Punjab has requested ₹ 100 crore to construct a 5.6 km, 45m wide approach road connecting NH 44 to the Integrated Manufacturing Cluster (IMC) in Rajpura. This funding is essential for the timely completion of road construction and the successful implementation of the industrial cluster. Expressing gratitude for the Vande Bharat train connecting Amritsar with New Delhi, the Punjab government requested another Vande Bharat train to connect Bathinda, an agricultural and commercial hub, with the national capital. Cheema also proposed financial support to address crop residue management in Punjab. He said despite providing 1.45 lakh crop residue management (CRM) machines since 2018, high operational costs remain a challenge. The Punjab government has proposed an incentive of ₹ 2,500 per acre, with ₹ 2,000 per acre from the Centre and ₹ 500 per acre from the state. The total cost of this initiative is estimated at ₹ 2,000 crore, with the Centre footing ₹ 1,600 crore as budgetary support. Furthermore, the Cheema requested a special budget allocation for paddy diversification. “Diversifying paddy cultivation across 10 lakh hectares could result in substantial savings of over ₹ 30,000 crore. The government has proposed allocating a portion of these savings towards a comprehensive diversification package,” he said as per the press release. In addressing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) scheme, Finance Minister Cheema proposed enhancing the grant from ₹ 1.2 lakh to ₹ 2.5 lakh per beneficiary to accommodate rising construction costs. The minister also highlighted the need to release pending funds under the national health mission (NHM), amounting to ₹ 1,119 crore, and requested an increase in the honorarium for cook-cum-helpers under the PM Poshan Abhiyaan from ₹ 600 to ₹ 2,000 per month. Additionally, Punjab sought support for urban transportation e-bus services, requesting ₹ 300 crore for the procurement of 250 new electric buses and the installation of charging points. The state also called for reimbursement of procurement costs by the Union government, modernization of driving license testing with advanced technology, and reimbursement of pending rural development fee (RDF) amounting to ₹ 6,857 crore.UFC owners explain why promotion is so attractive to potential broadcast partners even compared to NFL

Gophers football players are preparing to play Wisconsin for Paul Bunyan’s Axe on Friday, but three key pieces peered beyond the blinders to shore up their commitment to Minnesota on Monday. Quarterback Max Brosmer and offensive lineman Quinn Carroll — two sixth-year seniors — said they will play in the Gophers’ to-be-determined bowl game, bucking a growing trend of players skipping postseason games to prepare for shots in the NFL. ADVERTISEMENT Brosmer, a transfer from FCS-level New Hampshire, said he will “definitely” suit up. “It’s another opportunity for us to play as a team,” said Brosmer, who threw for 2,426 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions in 11 games this season. “It’s a compilation of what you have worked on all season.” Carroll said he respects higher-level prospects who might opt out and protect their draft stock, but he wants to get back to a “standard” of players not skipping the games. “My goal ever since I came here was to be the leader, be the standard all the time, and I don’t want it to become a standard that we don’t play in the bowl game if we have NFL aspirations,” said Carroll, who has played three seasons at Minnesota after three years at Notre Dame. “Obviously it’s different for guys who are maybe touted a little bit higher or think it will be better off for them to start working on the next step, whether that is combine training or what have you. But that is one opportunity that I’m blessed with to play with the guys and I’m going to take full advantage of it.” Left tackle Aireontae Ersery is a prime candidate of a Gophers player who might want to safeguard a higher draft stock and limit injury exposure by sitting out the bowl game. The possible first- or second-round pick has not said what he might do. For example, former U center, John Michael Schmitz opted out of the Pinstripe Bowl in 2022; he was drafted in the second round by the New York Giants. Meanwhile, Gophers fifth-year defensive lineman Jalen Logan-Redding said he will return to Minnesota for 2025, instead of trying his luck in the NFL. “Coming back next year is definitely going to be the best for me and being able to maximize all my opportunities and exhaust eligibility,” Logan-Redding said. Logan-Redding said he talked with fellow D-lineman Deven Eastern, who has one more year remaining, about pairing up in 2025. ADVERTISEMENT “We talk a lot about it,” Logan-Redding said. “... We are excited for it, honestly. Not only continuing to build the D-line, but just continuing to build on the experience that we already have. We’ve seen the amount of destruction that we can create when we are focused. Me, Dev and, of course, (Anthony Smith). He would be pissed if I didn’t shout him out.” Smith, who has two more years of eligibility, has been one of the U’s best players in the last month. He has 23 total pressures and five sacks, including one sack in each of the last three weeks. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .The political post that ended a partnership between Fuzzies Burgers and Peabody Heights Brewery may have been shared to a personal account, but the ensuing backlash has quickly turned into a public liability for two Baltimore businesses. On Tuesday, hours after Peabody Heights it would stop hosting the smashburger vendor following a pro-Donald Trump post by Fuzzies co-owner Josh Vecchiolla, Vecchiolla issued a statement saying his own views had been misconstrued as those of his business. “One of our owners’ personal views was shared and mistakenly interpreted as a political endorsement by Fuzzies Burgers, and for this reason it was quickly removed,” the statement said. “We want to be clear, Fuzzies does not endorse any political ideology, but we respect everyone’s opinion — it makes all of us stronger.” But in an increasingly polarized nation, business and public relations experts say the line between personal opinion and public stance has blurred. On a national scale, comments from executives have resulted in consumer outcry — and sometimes boosted sales. “It’s all public,” said Matt McDermott, the president of Humble and Wallop, a Hampden-based marketing firm. “If you’re going to put yourself out there as the owner of a business, you don’t have the luxury of separating your personal views from your business’s.” The controversy started late last week when Vecchiolla posted a photo of Trump to his personal Instagram account. Under an image of the president-elect raising a fist after a July assassination attempt was a caption celebrating his recent electoral victory. “The people have spoken, take it on the chin like an adult,” Vecchiolla wrote. A screenshot of the post made its way to Reddit, where members of the online community weighed in with their own takes. Many on the site urged a boycott of Fuzzies, while others argued the backlash was a sign of “cancel culture.” Vecchiolla soon deleted his Instagram account. By then, however, Peabody Heights customers were calling on the Abell brewery to cut ties with Fuzzies over the political post. Peabody commenting in over the weekend, saying it would “engage with the owners of Fuzzies Burgers to determine a constructive way forward” and highlighting its commitment to “fostering a safe and inclusive space for women, the LGBTQIA+ community, and people of color.” Tuesday, the brewery said it would end its relationship with the burger stand, which also has a stall at Oriole Park at Camden Yards and two roving food trucks. The decision prompted another wave of reactions: Backlash from Fuzzies supporters, as well as praise for Peabody Heights. “Peabody Heights Brewery lost my support ... Too woke to support Freedom of speech. Sad what this country has become,” wrote one Facebook user. “Kudos to Peabody Heights Brewery for caring about inclusiveness! You are definitely a class act!” said another. One commenter was more pragmatic, summing up the business implications: “The market speaks. Period.” Americans can expect to see more of these tussles creep into the marketplace amid a tense political climate, some experts say. “Four years ago, I don’t think this would have happened,” said Stacey Lee, a professor of law and ethics at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. “I think you are now seeing people become even freer expressing their opinions,” Lee said. “There will be a lot of examining of the messaging that is coming out of all types of businesses and institutions as people begin to orient around what the next four years is going to look like.” On a national scale, some corporations have already dipped a toe in the political pool, to mixed results. Goya Foods faced a boycott from liberals, but also a , after CEO Bob Unanue in 2020. Conservatives for an advertising campaign featuring transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney and at Target for its . Partisanship is becoming a more and more important part of identity in the U.S., said Flavio Hickel Jr., an assistant professor of political science at Washington College. “People are increasingly likely to think of themselves as Republican or Democrat,” he said. While consumers may not have cared much about the political affiliations of a restaurant owner in the past, “the moment is too hot right now,” Hickel said. “The election is still very raw for many people, and there might be a sense of Trump supporters doing a victory lap that just rubs people the wrong way.” Some companies bake political statements into their core mission. Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s, for instance, is known for taking progressive stances on the environment and social justice issues. Chick-fil-A closes its stores on Sundays and has opposed same-sex marriage, reflecting its founder’s Southern Baptist beliefs. Lee said businesses that venture into the political arena should have a solid understanding of their customer base. And when there is controversy, large corporations usually weather the storm more easily than small companies. “For small businesses, you are the face of your business,” she said, “and your PR department is much smaller.” In general, “corporations want to have the broadest base possible,” Hickel said. But this presidential election cycle forced business leaders to grapple with the growing partisan gulf. , including Mark Cuban, Magic Johnson and the former leaders of 21st Century Fox, American Express, Starbucks and Yahoo, signed a letter endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. The world’s richest man, Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk, to Trump’s campaign. Others hedged their bets, avoiding overt endorsements while currying favor with candidates behind the scenes. The billionaire owners of the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times their newspapers not to endorse a candidate for president, sparking anger from customers who en masse. Despite allowing Trump to make a campaign stop at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s, the fast-food giant saying the event shouldn’t be interpreted as an endorsement. Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, a Democrat, wrote on the firm’s website that he . A social media firestorm is the last thing a small restaurant wants to face in an already challenging business climate. That’s why John Maroon advises his clients to keep their opinions to themselves. “I think, in the polarizing state of our nation, if a business owner decides they want to make public political statements they’ve got to ask themselves what’s the value: Why am I doing it, what’s the upside, what’s the downside,” Maroon, the president of Columbia-based communications agency Maroon PR, said. “I would argue that in today’s world there’s not a lot of upside for business owners to be making huge political statements one way or another.” If the political hot take is already out of the bag, both he and McDermott said they would advise clients to let the controversy blow over. “When you start continuing to issue statements you extend the life of the story,” Maroon said. “If Fuzzies were my client, I would tell them just wait,” said McDermott. “Typically, as we’ve seen in the past, a large segment of their audience doesn’t care.” Both agreed that Peabody Heights was thrust into a difficult position by the Trump post. McDermott thinks the brewery made the right decision to listen to its core customer base and cut Fuzzies loose. “They had to respond to something that they had no control over initially,” he said. “I’d imagine they have a much younger audience, and a higher percentage of these folks are on social media.” The saga “is a fascinating example of how politics is seeping into so many aspects of our social and economic lives,” said Hickel. “It’s kind of a sad story.”Sen. Maggie Hassan is leading a bipartisan effort to close a loophole that is denying no-cost contraception to at least one million young and middle-aged women in America. MAGGIE HASSAN Currently, private insurance and Medicaid for low-income residents must cover all types of contraception at no cost to the patient that include oral contraception and IUD insertion. There are one million women, 20 to 49 years old, who get health coverage from Medicare, traditionally reserved for older Americans, because they become eligible due to a long-term disability. Hassan, D-N.H., along with another Democratic senator and two Republican senators, have authored the Closing the Contraception Coverage Act that would mandate the Government Accountability Office to analyze if there are any other contraception coverage gaps so that those could also be closed. “Every woman should be able to get the health care that’s right for her, and this bipartisan bill will help ensure that all women can access no-cost contraception under all insurance plans,” Hassan said. “This bill will close a gap that has stopped many women from getting coverage for contraception and help ensure that there are no other gaps in coverage.” Joining Hassan in this effort are Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, along with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois. “Unlike Medicaid and private insurance, which generally cover most FDA-approved contraceptive methods and services without cost to patients, Medicare coverage leaves thousands of women without the same access to reproductive health care,” Collins said in a statement. “This bipartisan bill would require Medicare to cover contraception methods and services at no cost to patients, removing a significant barrier to health care for women who qualify for Medicare because of a long-term disability.” The head of the American Association of People with Disabilities said this legislation would correct a long-known injustice. "Though the disability community is often left out of discussions about sex education, safer sex, and reproductive rights, many disabled people have active sex lives and are capable of getting pregnant. In addition, many people take contraceptives for reasons other than preventing pregnancy or managing their reproductive health,” aid Maria Town, president and CEO. ‘AAPD strongly supports bodily autonomy and access to reproductive choice, including multiple contraceptive options, for all disabled people, and recognizes bodily autonomy as a core value of the disability rights movement. All people with disabilities deserve access to numerous options for contraception so that they may elect the option that works best for their lives, their bodies, and their wallets.” Hassan's career in public service became as an advocate for disabilities, as she and husband, Tom, care for their son, Ben, now 36, who has cerebral palsy and requires round-the-clock medical care. Then-Gov. Jeanne Shaheen said she witnessed Hassan's passion on the issue. Shaheen, among others, encouraged Hassan to seek public office and the Newfields Democrat went on to become become a state senator and then just the second woman in American history after Shaheen to become both a state's governor and U.S. senator. This legislation has also been endorsed by Upstream, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, National Women’s Law Center, National Partnership for Women & Families, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs, Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, New Disabled South, National Council of Jewish Women, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In a related matter this week, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. got into the defense spending bill to require that women who receive health care through the military to get Food and Drug Administration-approved contraception with no co-pays. The amendment also requires the Department of Defense to develop a comprehensive family planning education program for servicemembers to ensure families can make informed decisions about their future and guarantees that survivors of sexual assault in the military have access to emergency contraception. This development ended a decade-long, stiff Senate resistance to this proposal, Shaheen said. “Service members who are sacrificing so much to protect our freedoms deserve the same access to contraception as their civilian counterparts,” Shaheen said. “I look forward to seeing this long-overdue win for our military become law.” klandrigan@unionleader.com